Hey Food & Drink Brands – Your Vegan Customers Are Not Optional Extras

Are you a food or drink business? Do you sell any vegan products? Even just one? A brownie? A token wrap with falafel and sadness? Great, this post is for you.

Because here’s the thing: you’ve probably done the hard part already. You’ve developed a vegan product, or two, maybe even a whole range (and if so, hats off to you, and thank you!). You’ve added a plant-based milk option, popped a vegan sticker on your salad box, or thrown in a chickpea somewhere. Yay – I’m here to support you!

But then what? What happens next?

For too many brands, the answer is: nothing.

The Great Email Letdown

Let me walk you through the classic vegan customer experience:

1. I get excited. I see you’ve got a vegan range. I maybe even buy something.
2. I sign up to your mailing list with my first order, or just to find out more later.
3. And then… the emails start coming. And I want to scream.

Now, let’s take a look at a recent aforementioned “letdown email” – Said email pops into my mailbox, I open with excitement of this amazing “exclusively for me offer”… I kid you not – this is an actual IRL experience just the other week… I won’t name the brand but let’s just say they make doughnuts (and never respond to my emails). “Grab your exclusive build-your-own dozen box for just £12” *Spoiler alert – offer not valid for vegan doughnuts. This is not remotely “exclusively for me”, this is exclusively NOT for me, in fact, it is for everyone else BUT me.  Now I am just left feeling annoyed. 

“NEW SEASONAL CHEESE SELECTION BOX!” (…all dairy.) “LIMITED EDITION CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD!” (…with cow’s milk.) “SUMMER BBQ RANGE – DON’T MISS OUT!” (…sausages, ribs, burgers, all animal.)

These lazy emails are tolerated initially with a slight irritation, then, after prolonged exposure to your cba approach they literally make me want to scream out loud, especially when the offer is not even valid for a vegan option. Not one single mention of a vegan offer. No little asterisk. No note. Not even a faint whiff of a plant-based alternative.

I’m not angry that you’re marketing to your full audience. I get that not everyone is vegan (tragically). But if you’ve got my data, and you know I’ve ordered the vegan items from your site, why wouldn’t you segment your emails accordingly?  It’s not that difficult…

I’m Not Asking you to employ a Vegan Marketing Team

Neither do I want a personalised email from the CEO, or a haiku about tofu (although, now I think about it…). I’m just asking you to listen to one, and:

• Check the last order.
• Or just ask me: “Would you like vegan-only emails?”
• And then – get ready for it – create a second version of your campaign for that segment.
• Or, even, just add a vegan note or offer on the same promotional email

Not a whole new strategy. Just one version that doesn’t make me feel like a total afterthought.

Because right now? You’re actively encouraging me to unsubscribe. And I don’t want to. I like your brand. I want to support you and your vegan offerings. I want to see what you’ve got going on and I want to keep helping the vegan community by championing those companies that are trying. But if you keep sending me emails that scream “NOT FOR YOU”, then why would I stay?

Guess what… Vegans Have Money Too

Let’s get into some numbers – just in case you think this is a tiny niche of tofu-munching hippies with no economic clout.

According to recent data:

• The number of vegans in the UK has quadrupled over the last decade. [Source: The Vegan Society]
• As of 2024, over 3% of the UK population now identify as vegan. That’s nearly 2 million people.
• The UK vegan food and drink market was worth £1.2 billion in 2023 – and is expected to grow to £1.8 billion by 2027. [Source: Statista / Mintel]
• 1 in 3 Brits say they’re cutting back on animal products, even if they’re not fully vegan.

This is not a niche. This is not a fad. This is a full-blown movement – backed by health concerns, sustainability, ethics, and taste. The vegan market is growing, it’s loyal, and it spends money, especially when brands show they care.

Want My Loyalty? Include Me.

If your brand has even one vegan product, then you already did the “entry-level” stuff. Now’s the time to level up.

Because right now, here’s how it feels: like you’re inviting me to the party, but not saving me a seat. You shouted, “Hey, we’ve got a vegan sausage roll!” and I came running… only to find that everything else on the menu is off-limits, and all your party games involve cheese.

This is marketing 101. If you’re building customer loyalty and doing email campaigns, segment your audience. Give us a little love. Make us feel seen. It doesn’t even have to be 100% vegan content – just include something.

If I see one more email with:

“Introducing our new limited edition caramel fudge cake – with extra cream!”

And I know it’s not vegan, not even close, I might actually start screaming. Like, real-life scream. Not a “lol scream”, but a genuine, guttural, “WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?” scream into the void of brand indifference.

What You Can Do (Today, Even!)

Okay, rant over. Let’s get constructive. Here’s what food and drink businesses can do right now:

1. Audit Your Email Segments

Check if you’ve got any vegan-identifying data. Look at orders, filters, or preferences. If you don’t? Time to add a quick “What are your preferences?” option to your signup or post-purchase flow.

2. Create Two Versions of Your Campaigns

One for the main audience. One for the vegan folks. Reuse 80% of your content, just swap out the key products or CTA.

OR, just add a vegan item or segment to the same campaign for all – just be inclusive…

3. Include Vegan Products in Your Highlights

Even if it’s one bullet point. Even if it’s a footnote. Just let me know there’s something for me.

4. Give the Vegan Section Some Love on Your Site

If I have to hunt for it, I’m out. Make it obvious. Make it filterable. And for the love of oat milk, keep it updated.

5. Speak to Us

Use your content marketing to talk to this audience. Feature vegan recipes. Share customer stories. Show that you’re not just ticking a box but that you’re actually interested.

The Brands Getting It Right

Shoutout to the ones already doing this well. A few UK brands have nailed the vibe:

• LEON – Consistent plant-based messaging, clear labelling, no shame in pushing vegan first.
• THIS™ – All-in on plant-based, hilarious marketing, and content that’s actually fun to read.
• M&S Plant Kitchen – It’s mainstream, it’s visible, it’s growing.

These brands aren’t treating vegan customers like a fringe group. They’re making us feel like part of the core audience. And guess what? We’re buying. We’re posting. We’re recommending them to friends. That’s what happens when people feel included.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Just Dangle the Carrot

It’s 2025. If your brand has figured out how to make a vegan truffle or a no-egg mayo, congrats, and thank you for thinking of us. But if you haven’t figured out how to keep your vegan customers engaged, then what was the point?

The opportunity is massive. The market is real. And the competition is heating up.

Don’t let your hard work go to waste. Don’t treat vegans like a one-off promotion. Include us in your everyday marketing. Because we notice. And we care.

And when you get it right? We shout about it. Loudly. On LinkedIn. On Instagram. On Facebook Groups. Over lunch. Basically, anywhere someone will listen.

So go on, send that next email with some vegan flavour!